There are known manual devices provided with valves for dispensing water or other different liquids from larger containers or from supplying installations, for example from water installations, which devices are installed at one end of the flexible pipe, typically a flexible hose, the other end of which is connected to the emptied container or to said installation.
Such manually operated devices for pouring in, for example are widely used for irrigation of plants in horticulture and they are generally provided with a hand grip being provided with a port or connection for supplying a liquid at one side and a dispensing nozzle at the other side, and also with the button similar to a gun trigger for closing and opening of the flow. Typically, this type of pistol type devices are provided with a valve openable with the trigger button which, when pressed with a hand, opens the dispensing valve. However, in order to lock the valve in the open position or to unlock it from the open position it is necessary to use a second hand. Additionally such constructions are quite complicated to manufacture and typically have a relatively large size.
One of the known solutions relatively convenient for being operated with one hand is the One Touch Shower & Stream type device of Dramm Corporation intended for connection to a flexible pipe and provided with a slide valve and an adjustable nozzle. Both opening and closing of the slide valve and also an adjustment of its opening degree is performed by moving the operating slider by means of simple movement of the thumb on the upper side of the device housing made of a plastic material, which housing is in the form of a comfortable hand grip. The drawback in operating the device using only one hand results from the fact that it requires performing two movements of the thumb, the first one—repulsive movement, pushing the slider away and the second one—pulling movement, pulling the slider towards oneself. While the pressure of the thumb in the direction of a pulling movement is natural and effortless movement, the pushing movement in the opposite direction is not very ergonomic and requires more concentration and effort. A similar device has launched Gardena Company. Opening and closing of the flow is performed by moving the lever with the thumb in the right direction.
It is known from EP0803235 one-piece valve for urostomy pouches, that is simple to manufacture and user-friendly when operated with one hand, said valve made of natural rubber or flexible plastic, and consisting of a substantially flat base, which is adhesively attached to a wall of an urostomy pouch, having a liquid inlet opening and an outlet nozzle and with a protruding wall extending at a distance from the peripheral edge, wherein the base has a resiliently deformable cover, snap-fixed on a protruding wall, said cover is provided on its internal side with a protruding portion, preferably perpendicular to the base, constituting the button and with a centrally disposed plug at the side facing the base and projecting towards the liquid inlet opening, tightly closing this opening. The protruding portion of the cover can be pushed towards the base in order to remove the plug from the liquid inlet opening and to open this liquid inlet opening allowing fluid to flow out through the disposing nozzle. After repeated pressing the button the plug of the resilient cover closes tightly the inlet opening of the base. Such a type of valve for urostomy pouch can be operated with one finger, but it is only suitable for use when mounted on a wall of the pouch, as it does not constitute a stand-alone device in use.
Utility Model CN 201091743 discloses a valve for draining liquid from the drainage bag for medical use, which valve is provided with a liquid inlet at one end and a liquid outlet at the other end, while in the middle portion of the valve body a transverse tube is arranged which is embedded in the valve body and traversing its cross-section in such a manner, that the inner space of the transverse tube is in flow communication with the inlet and outlet and accommodates a sliding plunger, dimensionally adapted to its shape. The sliding plunger has a circular groove shaped in accordance with the valve inlet and outlet, wherein when pressing the plunger towards one end, the sliding circular groove opens a fluid connection between the valve inlet and outlet, while when the plunger slides in the second direction the connection between the inlet and the outlet becomes closed. The valve can be operated with one hand, wherein it is gripped with the index and middle finger, and the sliding plunger is slid with the thumb to open and close the valve in the suitable opposite directions, there is also no possibility to block the valve in the open position.
The Task and Purpose of the Invention
There is a need for further improvements of the structure of the filling devices, in particular provided with a valve for emptying containers or for filling/emptying liquid, which would be autonomous devices, ensuring the possibility to be used in a wide range for pouring in/pouring out liquids, dispensing liquids and for filling and emptying containers of various kinds, or for feeding smaller containers from collective packaging or from installation terminated with a flexible conduit, preferably a hose, with the possibility to effort-free and ergonomic operating them with one hand.
This task is solved according to the invention by a valve type structure of a device for filling or emptying according to the attached claims, in which device the flow opening and closing operation is carried out by means of one finger with the use of a movement in one and the same direction, which direction is the direction of pushing a button with the thumb and in which device additionally optional capability for automatically locking the device in the open flow position and in the closed flow position is provided, as well as also releasing the lock by means of the same movement in one direction, without the need for additional movements and manipulation.
The pouring device according to the invention is very ergonomic to operate because a simple pushing movement is required for opening the valve of the device and starting the flow, while releasing pressure is sufficient for closing the flow. In the optional version there is possibility to lock the device in the open position, while for its releasing and closing flow it is sufficient to press again a button with the thumb, similar to turn on and off the ball pen, which movement is natural motion, not requiring effort and convenient even for people with limited manual activity, including for people with disabilities.
The solution according to the invention in a preferred, first embodiment ensures opening the pouring device for filling, i.e. opening the flow of liquid, and especially its valve, only when the button is pressed, wherein after releasing the button the device returns to the closed position or in an optional second embodiment it is retracted and locked in the closed position after the button is pressed again to release the lock of the open flow position, i.e. of the pressed button.
The present invention allows for easy to operate dispensing of a liquid, even with an accuracy of individual droplets with the proposed valve-type pouring device for filling or discharging liquid which is rearranged to the open flow position by exerting only a light pressure (pushing), preferably with the thumb, on the push-button member, in the axial direction from the outlet of the device in the direction towards the liquid inlet, to which the feeding of the dispensed liquid is connected, preferably a liquid supplying stub pipe, wherein the same axial pressing which causes axial displacement of the push-member in the direction towards the inlet, in an optional embodiment, also causes blocking and positioning of the device in the open position, while the next pressing on the push-member in the same axial direction towards the inlet in optional embodiment causes releasing of the locking mechanism and automatic returning of the device to the closed flow position.
The device according to the invention is operated at low supply pressures, particularly at pressures typical for water-pipe supply network or lower pressures.
The device according to the invention is suitable in addition for using as a standard hose dispensing nozzle, particularly preferably for use to pouring in and filling and dispensing liquid from the doypack type package. Additionally, a dispensing nozzle provided with a thread, bayonet mechanism or the like mechanism may be located at the outlet end of the device for attachment of extra fittings or dispensing nozzles.
Furthermore, the push-button can be provided with grooves or another notches or protruding bulges to facilitate its manual sliding, which are preferably arranged transversely, and at least one of said push-button surfaces is oriented at an angle, preferably oblique or perpendicular to the shifting direction, that is the direction of pushing the button during opening and closing of the flow through the device.
The device according to the invention ensures an excellent tightness of connections and a high operation reliability both during flow opening and its blocking in the flow opening and closing positions and in the closed position.
The tightness of the device according to the invention is improved in comparison to known pouring devices for filling and dispensing liquids, which typically have a structure of the releasing means, i.e. flow opening means acting on a lever mechanism principle, i.e. performing rotary-tilting motion, which mechanism is difficult to seal. In the device according to the invention the releasing means has the structure acting on a principle of sliding motion (reciprocating), which is easier to be effectively sealed.